Automatic two-part control device for ball point pens and similar writing instruments

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an automatic control device for ball point pens and similar writing instruments, wherein a knob provided with offstanding operating elements is arranged to cooperate with members positioned in an encompassing shell whereby upon downward movement of the knob from an initial position within the shell, the knob is rotated and either projects or retracts the writing implement from the shell.

United States Patent Freccero et al.

451 May 14,1974

AUTOMATIC TWO-PART CONTROL DEVICE FOR BALL POINT PENS AND SIMILAR WRITING INSTRUMENTS Inventors: Renato Freccero, Alpignano; Silvano Dolei, Settimo Torinese, both of Italy Filed: Jan. 30, 1973 Appl. No.: 328,026

Related US. Application Data Assignee: Major S.p.A., Settimo, Turen, Italy 3,334,615 8/1967 Bross 401/110 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 396,689 1/1966 Switzerland 401/110 1,294,263 4/1969 Germany 401/110 1,611,799 9/1969 Germany 401/110 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edwin E. Greigg [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to an automatic control device for ball point pens andsimilar writing instruments, wherein a knob provided with offstanding operating elements is arranged to cooperate with members positioned in an encompassing shell whereby upon downward movement of the knob from an initial position within the shell, the knob is rotated and either projects or retracts the writing implement from the shell.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures lie AUTOMATIC TWO-PART CONTROL DEVICE FOR BALL POINT PENS AND SIMILAR WRITING INSTRUMENTS This application is a continuation application of Ser. No. 108,938, filed Jan. 22, 1971 now abandoned.

INTRODUCTION This invention refers to a very'simple device, which comprises two cooperating elements, one of which can be manually controlled. This device can determine in a writing instrument such as a ball pen, a pencil, or similar objects, two different positions of a movable assembly equipped with a writing point, in relation to the body of the writing instrument.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known that a writing instrument can comprise a body within which and in relation to which is fitted a movable assembly which can control the longitudinal position of a refill or ball point carrier and therefore of the latters tracing point normal control means can force said assembly into a first position, inrelation to the body, in which the tracing point is retracted into the body and protected by it, and subsequently into a sec ond working position, in which the tracing point of the writing instrument axially protrudes through the tapered end of the body itself.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple yet reliable control device for automatic writing instruments.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a control device that comprises only two operative elements.

Still another object of this invention is to provide for manufacture of a control device for automatic writing instruments at a low cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device of this invention comprises two elements:

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The characteristic features of the device of this invention will be clearly illustrated in the following description which refers to the attached drawing, which is on an enlarged scale in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the axial knob with its lower portion cut through a diameter;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the same knob;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the shell in which the knob of FIG. I is fitted;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of the shell made through a normal plane passing along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a 360 development of the periphery of the shell on a plane showing one embodiment of the shape of the serrated profile of the means defining windows or slots in the shell;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the shell of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section of the shell along the line of section VIIVII of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a second transverse section of the shell along the line of section VIII-VIII of FIG. 3.

As is more particularly shown in the drawings of FIGS. 1 and 2, the cylindrical knob 10 is provided with a control portion 100 and medially of its length, with four radially disposed protuberances 11, 11a, 11b, 11c positioned at distance from one another. Opposite to the portion there is a seat 1012 into which the top end of the refill or lead carrier can be inserted.

The radial protuberances l1, Ila, 11b, 1110 if viewed from the portion 100, have as illustrated in FIG. 1, preferably a profile shaped as an isosceles trapexoid, the parallel bases of which run parallel to the axis of the knob 10.

The knob 10, which constitutes one of the two elements of the device of this invention, is mounted to glide, with a moderate radial tolerance, within and in encompassed relation to a shell 12 (FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8). This shell, which constitutes the second element of the device has a pair of opposing slits 12a and a pair of terminal and radial cuts l2fwhich end in the means defining windows or slots 12a. The radial cuts 12f allow the temporary opening of the twov semi-cylindrical shells, of which the shell consists, and the passage of the radial protuberances 11, 11a, 11b, lie, when the knob 10 enters the shell 12.

The lower base (see FIGS. 4 and '5) of each slit 1211 has a serrated edge with two pairs of teeth 12b and 12c, respectively, projecting radially inwardly. Each tooth has a triangular profile. Further, with reference to FIG. 5 and assuming that the teeth are seen from inside the shell 12, they have a vertical surface 12b and 12c respectively, which is parallel to the axis of the shell, to the left of the observer, and a surface with a 45 inclination, 12b" and respectively, to the right. Besides on the inside surface of the walls 13, which are adjoining the means defining windows or slots 12a, the

shell 12 is fitted with internal radial protuberances 13a bounded by lateral surfaces 14 which are parallel to its axis and including shoulders 14a, as well as serrated edges with two teeth for each protuberance 13b and 130, respectively; these teeth are analogous to the ones numbered 12b, 12c and lie opposite to said teeth with a displacement of 90.

The shell 12, in which the knob 10' is fitted is disposed in a sheath which constitutes the outer body of the writing instrument and is fixed to the shell 12 so that the control portion 10a of the knob 10 is freely accessible.

The sheath which contains the shell 12 can be made of any suitable material and its outside surface can be given any shape. A cylindrical spring, mounted in a conventional manner on the refill or carrier and disposed between the terminal tapered cavity of the outside body and the base 10c of the knob 10 tends to push the knob 10 and the refill in the direction shown by the arrow X.

The device works in the following way:

In case the tracing point of the instrument is in the resting position, i.e., is retracted within and in relation to the body of the writing instrument, a pair of oppositely and radially disposed protuberances of the knob It), for instance 11 and 11h, are in contact with the shoulders 14a of the inside profile of the shell, while the knob is maintained in that position by the thrust created by the spring which is mounted on the refill, i.e., the base 100 of the knob. The spring member referred to being customarily carried on the writing implement is not shown but it is believed its function will be understood. By applying adequate pressure to the control portion 100 of the knob 10, to compress the spring, the radial protuberances 11, 11b leave the stops 14a and glide along the surfaces 14', until they meet the back surface, inclined at 45, of the first tooth of the two steps 13b and 13c, respectively. Now, the protuberances 11a, 11c start cooperating with the inclined surfaces of the first teeth of the stops 12b and 12c respectively, on which the protuberances glide until they meet the edge l2e, i.e., as far as the bottom of the teeth. However, the knob 10 is subjected to an angular movement to the right. The protuberances 11 and 11b are brought to a position longitudinally opposite to the cavities which exist between the serrated profiles 13b and 130, respectively.

When the pressure on the portion 10a of the knob 10 is released, the radial protuberances 11 and 11b, owing to the thrust of the spring, which acts in the direction of the arrow X find their way into the cavities which exist between the pairs of teeth 13b and 13c. Thus the knob 10 is subjected to further angular movement to the right.

This stopping position of the knob 10, which has telescopically moved forward in the shell 12, corresponds to the working position of the writing instrument. The tracing point of the latter projects through the terminal tapered cavity of the body.

Thus, the tracing point of the writing instrument has been brought from the resting to the working position, and the knob 10 has been subjected to a 45 rotation around its axis. Now the radial protuberances, 11a and He, which are disposed 180 from one another, are not engaged by any stop, are longitudinally aligned with the cusp of the second tooth of the serrated edges 12b and 12c respectively, of the base 120 of the means defining a window or slot 12a.

By once more pressing the knob 10, its radial protuberances 11 and 11b leave the pairs of teeth 13b and 130 and protuberances 11a, 11c enter into contact with the inclined surface of the second teeth of the pairs 12b and 120 and glide to the bottom of these, subjecting the knob 10 to a further angular movement. When the pressure on the control portion 100 ceases, the knob 10 moves up again in the direction X and its protuberances l1 and 11h enter into contact with the inclined surface of the second teeth of the pairs 13b and 130, respectively. They glide along these surfaces and along the longitudinal surfaces 14" until protuberances 11a, 110 meet the stops or shoulders 1411; the knob 10 has thereby been subjected to a second angular movement Then, it will be understood that the movable assembly of the instrument has moved back to its initial rest position, and the knob 10 has been subjected to an angular movement of from its starting position. Since its radial protuberances 11, 11a, 11b, 110, are at 90 from one another, the relative position of the knob in the shell is exactly like the starting position and therefore the cycle of the movement of the knob which has now been described can be repeated.

While one embodiment of this invention has been disclosed above, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given as an example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for controlling the projection of retraction of the writing point of a writing instrument comprising:

a cylindrical sleeve fitted within the sheath forming the outer body of the writing instrument, said sleeve having a pair of diametrically opposed slots extending through the wall of the sleeve, a pair of cuts extending through the wall of the sleeve at the upper end and terminating in the slots to allow spreading of the wall of the sleeve, a pair of teeth disposed at the bottom of each slot and projecting radially inwardly, and a pair of inwardly projecting protuberances on the inside surface of the sleeve between the slots, each protuberance having an upper shoulder, a longitudinally extending part and a pair of teeth at the bottom of said longitudinally extending part, and

a cylindrical rod slidable within said sleeve, the top of said rod serving as a push button, a lower part of the rod having four projections extending radially outwardly and being spaced apart 90 circumferentially from each other and the bottom of the rod having a recess receiving the carrier of the writing point, said carrier being biased upwardly by a spring, the rod being assembled with the sleeve by pushing it into the sleeve from the top and spreading the sleeve wall,

a pair of projections on the knob engaging said shoulders to hold the rod at an upper retracted position of the writing point and a pair 'of projections on the knob engaged between the teeth at the bottom of said protuberances to hold the rod at a lower projected position of the writing point, the projections engaging said teeth during movement of the rod so that at each upward and downward stroke of the rod it is rotatably indexed with respect to the sleeve by 45, and the projections during movement from said upper shoulder downward to the teeth at the bottom of said longitudinally extending parts being guided by said longitudinally extending parts. 

1. A device for controlling the projection of retraction of the writing point of a writing instrument comprising: a cylindrical sleeve fitted within the sheath forming the outer body of the writing instrument, said sleeve having a pair of diametrically opposed slots extending through the wall of the sleeve, a pair of cuts extending through the wall of the sleeve at the upper end and terminating in the slots to allow spreading of the wall of the sleeve, a pair of teeth disposed at the bottom of each slot and projecting radially inwardly, and a pair of inwardly projecting protuberances on the inside surface of the sleeve between the slots, each protuberance having an upper shoulder, a longitudinally extending part and a pair of teeth at the bottom of said longitudinally extending part, and a cylindrical rod slidable within said sleeve, the top of said rod serving as a push button, a lower part of the rod having four projections extending radially outwardly and being spaced apart 90* circumferentially from each other and the bottom of the rod having a recess receiving the carrier of the writing point, said carrier being biased upwardly by a spring, the rod being assembled with the sleeve by pushing it into the sleeve from the top and spreading the sleeve wall, a pair of projections on the knob engaging said shoulders to hold the rod at an upper retracted position of the writing point and a pair of projections on the knob engaged between the teeth at the bottom of said protuberances to hold the rod at a lower projected position of the writing point, the projections engaging said teeth during movement of the rod so that at each upward and downward stroke of the rod it is rotatably indexed with respect to the sleeve by 45*, and the projections during movement from said upper shoulder downward to the teeth at the bottom of said longitudinally extending parts being guided by said longitudinally extending parts. 